


Hunger Pains

by anakinbridger541



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Ghoul, M/M, hidekane, hunger, tokyoghoul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2019-01-01 01:44:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12145941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anakinbridger541/pseuds/anakinbridger541
Summary: Hide's eyes widened as Kaneki shoved him down. Kaneki tore the sleeve from Hide's shirt effortlessly, completely refreshed by just those few drops of blood. He wasted no time in sinking his teeth in Hide's upper arm, tearing off a piece of flesh. Hide gasped in pain, his arm on fire and losing blood quickly. At....at least he's eating, he thought to himself.Just a cute/sad/fluffy/blurb of a one shot that I wrote while I was traveling in Seattle. Mostly written on a plane or when I was half asleep late at night, but I hope you all enjoy it.ALSO, NO MAIN CHARACTER DEATH, I PROMISE





	Hunger Pains

Grrrrrrr.

Kaneki breathed in deeply, his hand resting on his empty stomach. Four weeks: That's how long it had been since he'd last eaten. Sure, he'd had some coffee, enhanced with his 'ghoul sugar cubes' Mr. Yoshimura provided, but it wasn't nearly enough to curb his hunger. Any other ghoul would've gone out hunting by this point to keep from starving to death. So why wasn't he?

Kaneki was hiding. Hiding from the CCG, the police division and detective unit dedicated to hunting and killing any ghoul, anyone they considered a threat, a monster. He was hiding from Aogiri, a large organization of ghouls that considered him an enemy for refusing to comply and join their ranks. Kaneki was a prize, dead or alive (depending on which group you were with), a 'special' case. 

Why? Kaneki was no ordinary ghoul. He was only half ghoul; A One Eye, the result of a procedure a la Frankenstein to save his life. Kaneki was hardly alive when they found him. He'd lost most of his vital organs, not to mention his blood being nearly drained out of him. It was only by sheer luck he hadn't been finished off by his attacker: She'd been crushed by a sudden supplies collapse. Not only did this give Kaneki a chance, but it was only because she had been there had the doctor had the revelation that changed Kaneki forever.

It had been a blur for Kaneki after the dust settled, a haze of stinging, shouting and sirens. Then everything faded to black, his world becoming numb. There was distant shouting, a vision of transformation...when he awoke, Kaneki was a changed person, in at least the physical sense. His first and only clue was food. It appalled him: No matter how relentless his hunger, the moment any 'human' food was in his mouth, he had an irrepressible urge to vomit. No longer could he dine out with his friends, enjoy popcorn at the movies. Now, with the life force and appetite of a ghoul, only flesh and blood suited his pallet.

His personality had remained mostly in tact. He'd always been extremely guilty about eating humans, never wanting to be the monster that everyone feared he was. After ten torturous days of starving and dismemberment by Aogiri, he realized that to take care of others, you also have to take of yourself, and enduring pain for no real purpose was...well, pointless. Kaneki understood that trying to carry the world on your shoulders meant nothing if it's still hurting the people you love the most. Kaneki didn't have any family left, but there was one person in his life, at least, worth fighting for.

This, of course, is his former best friend, Hideyoshi Nagachika. The reason his title 'best friend' is proceeded by former is only because in their freshman year of high school, they had finally admitted their middle school crushes and started dating. Since the day they'd met when they were only five years old, Kaneki and Hide had become nearly inseparable. Kaneki couldn't imagine his life without Hide, and did everything in his power to keep Hide safe and unharmed from the more dangerous side of his life. Hide was his whole world, which is why the day Kaneki had discovered what he'd become had kept him in bed, crying and brokenhearted, for days.

Telling Hide that he was a ghoul was the most terrifying, nerve wracking experience of Kaneki's life. It's difficult enough to tell your soulmate that you've become a flesh eating monster under normal circumstances, but throw in the fact that Hide had just begun working for the CCG at that time, and...well, it took all of Kaneki's will power and strength not to have a full on panic attack. However, once he'd managed to get it out, he wasn't shunned, as he'd expected to be, but embraced. Kaneki would never forget the feeling of Hide's arms holding him tight as tears of relief spilled down his face, soaking his boyfriend's shoulder. Kaneki would never forget the gentle words Hide whispered, proving that his sixth sense still hadn't failed him: I know, Kaneki...I've always known.

Since then, Hide had tried to help Kaneki in every way he could. He tried to steer the CCG away from Anteiku in any way he could, and when the doves were in the area, he made sure to let the pacifist ghouls know in advance. He was the one who'd been able to find the secure bunker that Kaneki and he were currently hiding in. The only times Hide left were to work and to get himself provisions, which is where he was right now. Kaneki really couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend.

"I'm back!"

Kaneki opened his eyes to the familiar voice of the aforementioned figure. Hide shut the hidden door of the burrow, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. There was no electricity (or running water for that matter) in the cold, empty basement, so it was a drastic jump from the lights of the city to the glow of their camp lantern. It definitely wasn't ideal circumstances, but Hide could put up with it for the sake of his lover.

"Welcome back," Kaneki said, half smiling. "How was your little excursion?"

"It's in-sane out there," Hide replied, sitting down beside him. "Still, seems calmer than it has been. Hopefully, the doves will be clearing out of the immediate area in a few more days."

"Thank goodness." A few more days, Kaneki thought to himself. I can last that long.

"Yeah. I'm tired of living in this hole. It's cold, uncomfortable, and the cellphone service is shit." Hide opened a bag of chips he'd bought while he was out, popping a few in his mouth. "I can't even play video games. Like, what even is my life?"

Kaneki giggled. "We're hiding for our lives like Ann Frank, while chaos and mass homicide are all overrunning the city, and those are your concerns?"

"I find those complaints quite valid," Hide stated, taking another handful.

Kaneki shook his head, still smiling. Hide's quirks were one of the things hat attracted Kaneki to him the most. His need for technology and gaming could be comedic at times, and his pouting just made Kaneki want to pinch his cheeks. He can be such a dork...but he's my dork, that's what matters.

The boys alternated between chatting casually and enjoying the comfortable silence that could exist between them. Occasionally they were interrupted by the sounds of shouting and gunshots from above them, or the final shriek from some poor ghoul who was caught, but then they'd carry on as if it were normal (they'd become used to it by this point). After Hide finished eating he starting getting drowsy. He laid down on his sleeping back and opened his arms, whining until Kaneki laid down beside him.

"Why do you insist on teasing me like this?" Hide said flatly, giving Kaneki an accusing look.

"Because I can," Kaneki replied smugly. "Plus, when you stick your bottom lip out like that, you like just like you did when you were five. It's adorable."

Hide blushed. "Shut up," he mumbled, hiding his face in Kaneki's soft, white hair.

"Whatever makes you happy," Kaneki replied softly. He closed his eyes, letting his body relax despite the dull aching he was beginning to feel throughout his body. The scent of Hide cuddled up to him only made his mouth water in vain, his stomach softly grumbling from just the thought of eating. No...you can't think like that. You know you could never eat Hide, even if you were starving to death. Now sleep...just sleep....

______________________________________________________________________________

Hide gasped as he tripped, rolling onto his back. He looked up just in time to see the creature pounce. Hide whimpered as the beast let out a fierce growl before baring its fangs and going in for the kill-

Hide's eyes shot open as he sat straight up. He scanned the room, looking for any sign of the danger that had felt so real. It took a moment for him to remember where he was. Hide sighed, bowing his head. Only a dream...

"You okay, babes?" Kaneki asked, still laying down beside him.

"Yeah." Hide pushed his messy hair back from his face. "I had this dream I was out in the woods, running from this huge wolf. It was so vivid, too. I could, like, feel him when he pounced on me, hear him growling in my ear-"

A loud, low growl interrupted Hide's recap, resounding slightly off the stone walls. Hide jumped a little, his eyes darting around the room again.

"Wolves? Here?" he said frantically, feeling around for his gun.

"Hide, relax." Kaneki sighed. "It was just my stomach...I'm getting hungry."

"Oh...pff, I knew that." Kaneki laid back down on his side, so he and Kaneki were facing each other. "So this it what was giving me nightmares," he said, poking Kaneki's tummy.

Kaneki nodded, his stomach rumbling audibly again. He blushed slightly. Shut up, you...

"Geez. No wonder you can't get any sleep." Hide watched Kaneki closely, his eyebrows raised slightly. "When was your last meal?"

"...four weeks ago," Kaneki replied sheepishly.

"Kaneki, you know you should be eating at least every twenty one days," Hide said sternly.

"I-I know...I know I'm pushing it," Kaneki stuttered. "I'm fine, though, really...I can last a few more days..."

Hide watched Kaneki bite his lip as he rubbed his stomach lightly. He knew that his boyfriend must be hurting: You could see it on his face. Plus, in his study of ghouls, Hide had learned from experts that starvation is the most painful thing that ghouls can endure. Poor thing...his stomach's gotta be killing him.

"Ken, are you sure you're alright?" Hide asked, caressing Kaneki's cheek. He noted that it felt a little warmer than usual, but figured it was just that his hand was colder than it usually was. "Be honest with me," he added. "I know when you're lying."

"Just....just hungry," Kaneki replied softly, leaning into Hide's touch.

"-and tired," Hide added. "Get some sleep, love. It'll help you feel better."

"Right." Kaneki breathed deeply, as Hide carded his fingers through his hair in a soothing way.

Hide smiled as his boyfriend sighed softly. His whole body relaxed, signaling that he'd fallen fully asleep. Hide hoped that Kaneki would feel better when he woke up. He wished his boyfriend took better care of himself, though. The way he waited until the last moment to nourish himself really wasn't healthy, and it only made Hide worry about him more than ever. Sleep well, Ken. You need it.

_______________________________________________________________________

Hide woke up the next morning with a bad feeling. He tried to ignore it, though, fancying an optimistic start to the day. Hide sat up and stretched, his back popping into place.

"Morning, Ken," he said through a yawn.

Hide's bad feeling increased when, after a long pause, Kaneki didn't reply. He turned to look at Kaneki and his heart stopped. Kaneki was laying on his side in the fetal position with his arms around his middle. Kaneki's cheeks were flushed red, and his whole face was twisted in pain.

"Oh my God, Ken!"

Hide sat on his knees beside Kaneki, lifting him carefully into a 'sitting' position. He held him securely against his chest, making sure not to squeeze him too tightly so as to ease his breathing. Hide brushed Kaneki's bangs back from his sweaty forehead, frowning.

"Shit, Kaneki, you're burning up," Hide said, his voice heavy with worry. 

"I'm...I'm fine," Kaneki said weakly, before coughing harshly into his arm. Kaneki groaned softly, gritting his teeth and hugging his stomach again. 

"Honestly, Ken?" Hide said it as more of a statement then a question. He was trying to be stern, but his heart was breaking for his boyfriend, trembling in his arms. In just a few hours Kaneki had gone from bad to much much worse. 

The thing that worried Hide the most wasn't the illness Kaneki had suddenly contracted, though. It was the fact that he was nearly starved to death. Kaneki had zero nutrition, zero calories to burn, zero strength to fight back against this virus, or whatever it was. I...I have to help him....somehow...

"W-Water," Kaneki whispered hoarsely, holding a handful of Hide's shirt in his fist. 

Hide reached for the bottle, uncapping the top. He held the rim of the carafe to Kaneki's lips, tilting it slightly. It took about thirty seconds for Kaneki to successfully take a drink. The cool water momentarily quenched his thirst, but did little to relieve the burning in his throat, or the feverish temperature throughout his body. Please....please, make it stop, Kaneki's very being cried, though his mouth never articulated the words.

The hours passed by slowly and painfully for the couple in distress. Kaneki's everything hurt, and all the comforting words and gentle gestures in the world couldn't help him. Hide desperately longed to give Kaneki pain killers, but ghouls can't take human medication, even for human ailments, so he'd probably make things worse. It frustrated Hide that even with all the knowledge of ghoul biology he'd studied for years, he still had no idea what was wrong with Kaneki, or how to help him. There has to be something I can do...

"Hide...I-I can't...I can't do this anymore," Kaneki whimpered, coughing again. 

"You have to," Hide pleaded with him, close to crying. "Just breathe, slowly...in and out..."

Kaneki slowly fell into the breathing pattern that Hide was demonstrating. The rising and falling of his chest became slower and steadier. With one last shaky sigh, Kaneki passed out from sheer exhaustion.

Hide sighed too, bowing his head. Tears fell rapidly from his eyes, sliding down his cheeks and making small stains speckle across his CCG jacket. This wasn't fair. Kaneki was basically dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do about it.

Or was there?

Hide sniffed, looking from Kaneki to the hand resting on his boyfriend's chest. He thought for a moment. He didn't like the idea, but it was the only thing he could think of that just might work. Was he prepared to do it, though? I have to...there's no other way.

Hide reached into one on his pant pockets, taking out and unsheathing a utility knife. He lifted his other hand from Kaneki's chest, swallowing thickly. Sweat began bead Hide's forehead. I-i can't do this...no...I have to...for Kaneki.

Hide held his breath before quickly slicing a gash across his palm. He hissed in pain, dropping the knife aside and grabbing his trembling wrist with his other hand. Hide held his palm to Kaneki's face, a few drops of blood falling onto the ghouls' pale lips. 

"Come on, Ken," Hide said desperately. "Wake up!"

At first Kaneki didn't react. Then his fingers twitched a little. Slowly, the scent of blood filled his lungs and head, and his eyes shot open, crimson and black. Kaneki looked at Hide and gave him a sinister grin. Blood...flesh...food.

Hide's eyes widened as Kaneki shoved him down. Kaneki tore the sleeve from Hide's shirt effortlessly, completely refreshed by just those few drops of blood. He wasted no time in sinking his teeth in Hide's upper arm, tearing off a piece of flesh. Hide gasped in pain, his arm on fire and losing blood quickly. At....at least he's eating.

It took about thirty seconds and three bites for Kaneki to realize what he was doing. He froze, blinking as his eyes faded back to their original, human color. Kaneki stared at Hide in horror. What....what happened?

"Don't...don't stop now," Hide half-slurred, a little dazed. "You're damn sexy when you're all hunger-crazed."

Kaneki ignored Hide's pain-drunk comment, frantically trying to stop the bleeding from the wound in Hide's shoulder. He snatched the torn sleeve from the ground, pressing it firmly into the laceration. 

"Just hang in there," Kaneki said quickly. He was trying to stay calm, but failing miserably. "You'll be fine. Just stay awake."

Hide could hardly hear Kaneki now. His boyfriend's voice grew farther and farther away, warped as if he was underwater. His world became dark and warm, and muffled, then quiet. Hide's eyelids grew heavy as he lost the struggle for consciousness. I'll just take a little nap...that's all.  
____________________________________________________________________

"Home at last."

Kaneki had just opened the door to his house, inspecting the place with his eyes. He was glad to see it remained unchanged from the night he'd left it, as frantic as he'd been to leave. He couldn't have been happier the CCG hadn't decided to inspect the place, messed it up, robbed it, etc. A place for everything, and everything in its place; Just the way I like it.

Kaneki was about to step inside, when Hide came up behind him. Before Kaneki could lift his foot, Hide scooped him up in his arms, holding him bridal-style. Hide grinned at Kaneki's surprise, kissing his cheek.

"Welcome home," he whispered, before kissing behind Kaneki's ear.

Kaneki blushed as Hide hummed cheerfully. The latter closed the door with his foot, carrying his lover over to the sofa. Hide tried to sit down gracefully, but his heels slipped forward from under him, causing him to sit down on the sofa with some momentum. Hide yelped as Kaneki landed a little forcefully in his lap, biting his tongue to keep from screaming at the painful sensation throughout his stomach and pelvic region. Damn it...right where it hurts...

"...are you alright?" Kaneki asked after a moment, wanting to laugh.

"Never better." Hide's voice was a little squeaky, but he forced a toothy smile.

Kaneki chuckled as Hide breathed deeply, clutching at the couch cushions to alleviate the pain.

"Nice one, tough guy."

"You laugh all you want," Hide said. "We're finally safe at home and I have time off. I'm not letting something this trivial ruin my day." Hide was clearly determined, totally serious about the statement he'd made. Kaneki sighed, the smile never leaving his face. 

"No need to be so defensive," Kaneki said, putting his hand on Hide's. "I'm just trying to take care of my boyfriend."

"That's my job," Hide replied, looking at him. "I'm the..umm...'man' in this relationship." 

"Hide, a relationship, a real relationship, isn't one sided." Kaneki gazed into Hide's eyes. "You were ready to give yourself up to save me, without even a second thought. I don't know anyone else who'd be able to do that...you're more than I could have every imagined."

Hide looked at Kaneki for a long time before saying simply, "I love you," and smashing his lips into Kaneki's. Kaneki kissed back quickly, matching Hide's pace. The kiss was passionate, but innocent in a way, as neither one opened their mouth. 

After a bit, they both pulled back to breathe. Kaneki's eyes sparkled as he panted, his heart singing. They had just gotten through the roughest part of their relationship yet (maybe ever), and they'd come out of it closer than ever. We really are perfect for each other. 

Even if our relationship doesn't last forever...because nothing truly does....hell, we could both be dead tomorrow. With our circumstances, the chances are they neither of us will really last very long. That being said, I'm going to do everything in my power, everything within my power to protect you, Hide, protect us, and make this time...our time...feel like forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this story. It came out in a rush, as I wrote it over a few days between plane rides and service projects in Seattle. Thanks for reading. <3


End file.
